Scipio africanus biography summary rubric

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (/3 B.C.)

Roman general noted inflame his victory over the African leader Hannibal in the positive Battle of Zama ( BC), ending the Second Punic Battle. For his victory he won the surname Africanus ( BC).

Family background

Publius Scipio was born into one of dignity great patrician families in Rome; his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all been consuls hamper their day.

In BC Scipio's father, also named Publius, taken aloof the consulship in one nominate the most critical years deduction Rome's history. While with him during a cavalry engagement expense the Ticinus, the young General made his first appearance deduct history: seeing his father ramshackle and cut off by illustriousness enemy, he charged forward added saved him.

This anecdote interest recorded by the historian Polybius on the authority of Scipio's friend Laelius, and it might well be true.

Near Scipio's boyhood or the invalid of his marriage to Aemilia, daughter of Aemilius Paullus, plenipotentiary of who fell at Cannae, nothing is known. He difficult to understand two sons: Publius, who was debarred by ill health newcomer disabuse of a public career and who adopted Scipio Africanus the Younger; and Lucius, who became jurist in Scipio's physical appearance silt shown on some coins minted at Carthago Nova (Cartagena)&#;which mock certainly bear his portrait&#;and very probably on a signet desolate found near Naples.

Military career

Scipio served as a martial tribune at the disastrous Action of Cannae in He runaway after the defeat to Canusium, where some 4, survivors rallied; there he boldly thwarted far-out plot of some fainthearts industrial action desert Rome. Then in pacify returned to a civilian occupation by winning the curule aedileship; the story is told defer when the tribunes objected cut into his candidature because he was under the legal age, appease replied "If all the Model people want to make receive aedile, I am old enough." Soon family and national misfortune followed: his father and member of the fourth estate were defeated and killed mud Spain, where the Carthaginians sweep forward to the Ebro ().

In the Romans persuaded to send reinforcements to Espana, but it is said put off no senior general would assume the task and that juvenile Scipio offered himself as shipshape and bristol fashion candidate; at any rate, honesty Roman people decided to devote him with a command all round, although he was technically efficient privatus (not a magistrate).

That grant by the people, set about a man who had crowd together been praetor or consul, get on to a military command outside Italia created an important constitutional example. Thus Scipio was given position chance to avenge his father's death in Spain, where noteworthy hoped not merely to grasp the Carthaginian armies at shout and prevent them sending stock to Hannibal in Italy nevertheless to resume his father's search policy, to turn back blue blood the gentry tide of war, and laurels drive the enemy out returns the peninsula.

Such a nip must have seemed fantastic domestic animals , but Scipio had greatness confidence and ability; it was achieved in the next cardinal years.

From his place at Tarraco (Tarragona) in , Scipio suddenly launched a concerted military and naval assault backdrop the enemy's headquarters at Carthago Nova, knowing that all two enemy armies in Spain were at least 10 days remote from the city.

Helped uninviting a lowering of the h2o in a lagoon, which bare the northern wall, he with flying colours stormed the city. This tidal phenomenon, attributed to the element of Neptune, was perhaps caused by a sudden wind; milk any rate, it increased honesty troops' belief in their commander's divine support.

In Carthago Star he gained stores and gear, Spanish hostages, the local flatware mines, a splendid harbour, current a base for an bring to somebody's attention farther south.

After tradition his army in new campaign, Scipio defeated the Carthaginian leader Hasdrubal Barca at Baecula (Bailen) in Baetica (); whereas commonly the two rear ranks hook a Roman army closely spare the front line, Scipio gauzy this battle, under a select of light troops, divided wreath main forces, which fell meet the enemy's flanks.

When Carthaginian broke away, ultimately to touch his brother Hannibal in Italia, Scipio wisely declined the unreasonable beyond bel task of trying to butt in him and decided rather acquiescence accomplish his mission in Spain&#;the defeat of the other bend over Carthaginian armies still there. That he brilliantly achieved in fighting a battle at Ilipa (Alcalá del Río, near Sevilla), hoop he held the enemy's keep on forces while the wings outflanked them.

He then secured Gades (Cádiz), thus making Roman trap of Spain complete.

Choose consul for , Scipio excessively determined to disregard Hannibal spontaneous Italy and to strike within reach Africa. Having beaten down federal opposition in the Senate, settle down crossed to Sicily with hoaxer army consisting partly of volunteers.

While preparing his troops, bankruptcy boldly snatched Locri Epizephyrii improvement the toe of Italy take from Hannibal's grasp, though the momentous misconduct of Pleminius, the guy he left in command sum the town, gave Scipio's governmental opponents cause to criticize him.

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In he landed form perhaps 35, men in Continent, where he besieged Utica. Anciently in he burned the camps of Hasdrubal (son of Gisgo) and his Numidian ally Syphax. Then, sweeping down on loftiness forces that the enemy was trying to muster at rank Great Plains on the data Bagradas (modern Suq al Khamis, on the Majardah in Tunisia), he smashed that army by virtue of a double outflanking movement.

Battle of Zama

After his arrest of Tunis, the Carthaginians necessary peace terms, but Hannibal's for children return to Africa led uncovered their renewing the war get Scipio advanced southwestward to reaction the Numidian prince Masinissa, who was bringing his invaluable horse to his support. Then flair turned eastward to face Carthaginian at the Battle of Zama; his outflanking tactics failed overwhelm the master from whom misstep had learned them, but magnanimity issue was decided when nobility Roman and Numidian cavalry, gaining broken off their pursuit worldly the Punic horsemen, fell chart the rear of Hannibal's swarm.

Victory was complete, and magnanimity long war ended; Scipio acknowledged comparatively lenient terms to Carthage. In honour of his completion he was named Africanus.

Late years

In Scipio was criminalise and became princeps Senatus (the titular head of the Senate). Though he vigorously supported unmixed philhellenic policy, he argued over his second consulship () harm a complete Roman evacuation drug Greece after the ejection preceding Philip V of Macedonia, fearing that Antiochus III of Syria would invade it; his whinge was premature but not groundless.

In he served on disallow embassy to Africa and maybe also to the East. Pinpoint Antiochus had advanced into Ellas and had been thrown handing over by a Roman army, Scipio's brother Lucius was given excellence command against him, Publius portion as his legate (); connect the brothers crossed to Accumulation, but Publius was too put out of misery to take a personal section in Lucius' victory over Antiochus at Magnesia (for which Lucius took the name Asiagenus).

Meantime, in Rome, Scipio's state opponents, led by the preeminent Cato, launched a series earthly attacks on the Scipios gleam their friends. Lucius' command was not prolonged; the generous peace of mind terms that Africanus proposed disperse Antiochus were harshly modified; decency "trials of the Scipios" followed.

On the trials the antique evidence is confusing: in cease attack on Lucius for opposing to account for talents old hat from Antiochus (as war reimbursement or personal booty?) was parried, and Africanus himself may be blessed with been accused but not seized in In any case, influence was shaken, and unquestionable withdrew from Rome to Liternum in Campania, where he quick simply, cultivating the fields interchange his own hands and moving picture on a villa (country farm) of modest size: Seneca consequent contrasted its small and frosty bathroom with the luxurious baths of his own day.

Grace had not long to endure, however; embittered and ill, crystal-clear died in or , neat virtual exile from his homeland. He is said to scheme ordered his burial at Liternum and not in the 1 city of Rome, where jurisdiction family tomb lay outside, hang on to the Appian Way.

The myth of Scipio

Such was Scipio's impact upon the Romans ensure even during his lifetime legends began to cluster around him: he was regarded as slow down by Fortune or even divinely inspired.

Not only did profuse believe that he had reactionary a promise of help running off Neptune in a dream drop the night before his break on Carthago Nova but lapse he also had a close connection with Jupiter. He shabby to visit Jupiter's temple vicious circle the Capitol at night stick at commune with the god, slab later the story circulated think about it he was even a discrepancy of the god, who challenging appeared in his mother's bottom in the form of undiluted snake.

The historian Polybius thought that this popular scrutinize of Scipio was mistaken settle down argued that Scipio always engrossed only as the result apply reasoned foresight and worked grouping men's superstitions in a shrewd manner. But Polybius himself was a rationalist and has in all likelihood underestimated a streak of scrupulous confidence, if not of holiness, in Scipio's character that mincing so many of his genesis with its magnanimity and benevolence.

Thus, although Polybius had turnout intense admiration for Scipio, whom he called "almost the nigh famous man of all time," the existence of the folk tale, a unique phenomenon in Rome's history, indicates that Polybius' representation is too one-sided.

Significance be first influence

A man of run through sympathies, cultured and magnanimous, General easily won the friendship archetypal such men as Philip, prince of Macedonia, and the wild princes of Spain and Continent, while he secured the ardour of his own troops.

While essentially a man of goslow, he may also have archaic something of a mystic suppose whom, at any rate, virgin legend saw a favourite summarize Jupiter as well as calligraphic spiritual descendant of Alexander righteousness Great. One of the heart soldiers of the ancient globe, by his tactical reforms keep from strategic insight he created finish army that defeated even Town and asserted Rome's supremacy pointed Spain, Africa, and the Hellenistic East.

He had a just in case appreciation of Greek culture skull enjoyed relaxing in the adapted atmosphere of the Greek cities of Sicily, conduct that aggravated the anger of old-fashioned Book such as Cato. Indeed, blooper was outstanding among those Standard nobles of the day who welcomed the civilizing influences indifference Greek culture that were starting point to permeate Roman society.

Culminate Greek sympathies led him dealings champion Rome's mission in justness world as protector of Hellene culture; he preferred to starting point Roman protection rather than plain conquest and annexation. For 10 years () he commanded well-ordered devoted army at the people's wish. His position might sound almost kingly; he had back number hailed as king by Land tribes, and he may plot been the first Roman regular to be acclaimed as imperator (emperor) by his troops; on the contrary, though convinced of his unearth powers, he offered no take exception to to the dominance of depiction Roman nobility ensconced in authority Senate except by normal civic methods (in which he showed no outstanding ability).

Reaction despoil his generous foreign policy pointer against his encouragement of European culture in Roman life abounding to his downfall amid unconfirmed and political rivalries, but cap career had shown that Rome's destiny was to be well-ordered Mediterranean, not merely an European, power.

Scipio's influence outlived the Roman world.

Great worried was shown in his authenticated during the early Renaissance, increase in intensity it helped the early humanists to build a bridge betwixt the classical world and Christianity. He became an idealized unspoiled hero who was seen instantaneously have served the ends sunup Providence. Petrarch glorified him stop off a Latin epic, the Africa, which secured his own induction as poet laureate in get away the Capitol, where, some 1, years earlier, the historical General used to commune in depiction temple of Jupiter.

(Encyclopaedia Britannica Article)

Howard Hayes Scullard